What environmental factor affects rocky shores by causing organisms to dry out?

Desiccation refers specifically to the process of drying out or losing moisture. In the context of rocky shores, this environmental factor is particularly significant due to the tidal fluctuations that expose many marine organisms to air for extended periods. During low tides, organisms such as barnacles, sea stars, and mollusks are often left without water, which can lead to dehydration and increased stress on their physiological systems.

While temperature, wave action, and light intensity can influence life on rocky shores, they do not directly refer to the issue of drying out. Temperature may affect metabolic rates and reproductive cycles, wave action can impact erosion and provide nutrients, and light intensity plays a role in photosynthesis for autotrophic organisms. However, it is desiccation that most directly describes the challenge faced by organisms on rocky shores during low tidal periods, making it the appropriate and most precise answer.